That Doesn't Surprise Me

Often, after people hear where I served my mission, they ask me what the people were like. This is a hard question to answer. They are unlike anyone that I grew up with. Good people, just ... different. Here is an example I found from reading BYU's 100 Hour board. (Side note, the 100 Hour Board is good for some laughs and can be quite interesting) The village in question is one I served in. Learning this fact probably should have surprised me, but ... it didn't.

Dear 100 Hour Board,

I was telling my friend about this town in New York that seceded from the Union in 1861, and then everyone forgot they seceded until World War II, and therefore did not rejoin the US until 1946. I found an article on Wikipedia, but my friend still doesn't believe me, because the internet isn't always reliable. Can you find a more credible reference? I've looked but haven't been able to find one yet. It's called Town Line, New York, and is near Buffalo.
Thanks.

-New Yorker

A: Dear New Yorker,

If you're a BYU Student, you can click through to the NY Times article here.

Otherwise, here's the citation:
STARS AND STRIPES REPLACE STARS AND BARS IN TOWN LINE. (1946, January 25). New York Times (1857-Current file), 28. Retrieved February 21, 2009, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2005) database. (Document ID: 93017517).

An excerpt from the caption:
"...residents of the village voted yesterday to return to the United States eighty-five years after the community's secession."

Love,
Waldorf and Sauron

At least now when I am asked about the people in my mission I have a good example.